Random Ramblings Through the Years: March 1981

1981

The New Year started with Ken sleeping and me cleaning, cooking and laundry. Then we went out o Tim and Retta's for a bit.

Jan 2---Angie's 3 month check up. She weighed in at 12#4oz and 23.25" long. Tim at 3 months was 14#4 oz and 25.25" long. (Now at 2 years he's 30 # and 35" tall). Rickmann's also came by for a visit. They used to be good friends of ours, but moved to California.

Jan 5--- Today Tim stood on top of ANgie. Fortunately her little body is pretty sturdy, it didn't seem to phase her any. She also turned over for the first time by herself.

Jan. 7 weekend--- think Tim may be weaning off his pacifier (now only has it in bed).

We went to dinner with Bud and Grace for Mark's birthday. We were supposed to go to the military club, but their dishwasher was broken, so they closed. I suggested we go to Buckley's since Carolyn used to work there and said it was good. It was a good choice. Then they stopped at Uncle Joes so we could run in for a few minutes to say hi to them. Then played cards at Mark and Linda's until 11.

Jan. 13---I started lap swimming again (9:15-10pm). Hadn't swam since Tim was born.

FEb. 7th---Tim made his 4th trip to the ER today. This time he cut his 4th finger on his left hand getting a soda out of the fridge. The previous times were for dislocated elbow (which he got a lot), ear infecton, and a contact skin allergy rash on his face)

FEb. 11---COLD! 7-8" of snow and wind chill about -44 last night. The kids and I have been sick. Ken took 2 days off work to take care of us, now he's sick.

Feb 18--- Tim will stand on a target in the snow and yell, "Go", then Ken will throw snowballs at him. Then Tim will march around punching holes in the snow.

Feb. 21---Was a good day today. So I even felt good about taking the kids shopping. Then Tim scared the Hell out of me. He fell head first out of the shopping cart. He was even having a good time up until then. As bad as it looked, I didn't have to take him to the ER, but I'll never forget that moment of helplessness when I couldn't get over to catch him.

April 19---Easter Before heading over to MaryAnn's for the family get together, we spent some time with Bud and Grace. We spent a lot of time with them these early kid years. I think they liked pretending Tim and Angie were their Grandkids (that they never had) and spoil them. But Those were good times.

May 1st, Ken and I went to the Plantation dinner theatre and saw the Kingston Trio. Fun night!

May5--sold my first decorated cake today---the dancing machine turns 16

May 11-15 Ken to Wisconsin for work. While talking to Ken on the phone one time, Tim took a cake serving knife to the couch and side chairs.

May 16---my birthday--- we went to an outside birthday party for Brian. Then that night we went to dinner with Bud and Grace to Heritage house, then to seeRon Furr at the Plantation.

May 20---the safety awards dinner. Good dinner, boring speaker

May 22ish---off to Oregon for our "summer" vacation. Even bought my first slr camera---CAnon AE-1 for $239.99. Been reading up a lot of photography lately! The kids and Ken and I headed north along the coast for a night and time called our hotel room "Mommy and Daddy's bedroom on the coast." Even took Mom and Dad up to portland one day to visit with Carolyn and Tom at their cute little house there.

June 15--went to my first Tupperware party!

June 20--- our anniversary! Went to Sherwood Forest for dinner (cute little bar near home) and to a movie to see "Ordinary People".

Ken and I start playing tennis in the evenings again and have neighbor girl Kathleen watch the kids.

Ken also got the door from the kitchenette to the back yard put in. Still have to make the deck

July 13---ANgie takes her 1st step, after a couple months of being able to stand up anywhere.

UE WAtermelon festival!!!! Started taking the kids to that annually now

AUg. 1---Ken starts work on the back deck

Sept---CArolyn and Tom are back! Tom got a teaching job in Pagedale and CArolyn is going to work at the Florissant Denny's

Sept 19---bought our used pin ball machine for $350 from the pinball warehouse

Ken traveling a lot for work---Callaway, Chicago,

NOv---signed Ken up for swim and stay fit.

dec. 24---cooked up a big lunch for Carolyn, Sean and Tom (Ken was away helping Bill). Carolyn and Sean showed up in a really bad mood, ate and left. I spent the rest of the afternoon cleaning up the mess. When Ken got home, we went to Mike and Cindy's.

dec. 25---celebrated with Bud and Grace for a bit then to Ken's Mom's for xmas dinner.

Dec. 31---dressed up and went to the last Luigis. We used to go to one that was upscale. This one wasn't. We were way over dressed for it! Then to a movie to see Body Heat.

little sailors (angie in a dress I made her)

big brother helping

Tim and Angie with Great Grandma Cecilia (who lived to be 100)

one of the few pictures of me and the kids

Angie's first french fry

she really loved her swing---really!

Chilling out on our front yard. Tim would have been about 2 1/2 years old and Angie would have been about 8 months old.

Angie and me on a swing at the watermelon festival

Angie not looking too excited about our walk at the watermelon festival

To this day Angie can still curl her upper lip up to her nose.

The guys at the annual UE watermelon festival

Ken enjoying his time with the kids (the kids eating pop-pops)

one of the few times I got the Pram out

both kids in the pram---just like suppose to be.

happy guys

Way off in the future!

the pin ball machine that Tim took back to his place 40 years later and even fixed back up to like-new condition!

when we use to go on bike rides with the kids

a rare moment when the kids still liked each other.

Hard to believe they use to both fit in the same laundry basket.

A trip to the local park

a picnic in the park

fishing at the park. Tim showing Angie a little fish he caught.

Angie's turn

Angie loved swinging.

Her birthday

action eater.

I use to take the kids to garage sales. It was my entertainment and I really looked forward to it every Wed. morning. I'd usually let the kids pick out one or 2 toys. This time tim wanted this owl. Wonder what happened to it?

David and Jane came for a visit and we took our brigade to the zoo.

Now that the kids were old enough to go out and play in the back yard, it was time to make a way for us to get back there without having to go out the front door. So Ken added a door from the kitchenette and he and a brother or 2 built a deck leading from it to the side of the garage.

Tim riding his bike

farmer Tim

4th of July sparklers

the guys use to like going to St. Ferdinand to fish.

Tim was such a little helper.

helping again.

Awwww, the days when phones had cords connected to them. Wonder how many kids have been saved by cell phones!?

Tim with his first beard.

On our annual trip to Oregon to visit my Mom and Dad. Here we are at the Portland Zoo.

Me, back when I had a lot of hair!

the kids with some garage sale finds

hanging out in Mom and Dad's living room. (and my hair was naturally curly!)

At the rhododendron garden in Portland.

angie with a rhodie.

Mom---I admire that she always dressed up and insisted on makeup. Wonder why I was never one to use make up.

This was the year I got my first SLR camera---a Canon AE-1. I'd always wanted a good camera, but was afraid of them. Finally bit the bullet while we were in Oregon this year. Since they're no sales tax in Oregon, it's a good place to make such purchases. I became friends with the owner of the camera store there in Dallas, Oregon, and have given him lots of business over the years.